Ditching-machine.



P. GLAYMAN.

DITGHING MAGHINB.

n APPLIOATION FILEDV JULY 13, 1908.

Patented June 1, 1909.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

P. GLAYMAN.

DITGHING MACHINE. v y APPLICATION FILED JULY 13, 1908. 923,141 Patented June 1,1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

F. CLAYMAN.

DITCHING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JULY 1g. 1908.

Patented June 1 1909, 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Ens co., wAsHmcroN. n. c.

UNITED srnrns PATENT ormon.

.. vFREDERICK OLAYMAN, OF RUSH, NEW YORK.

DITGI-IINGr-MACHINE j Beit known that l, FREDERICK CLAYMAN, a citizen of the .United States, residing at Rush, inthe county of Monroe and State of NewYork, have invented a new and useful Ditching-Machine, of which the following is a specification. f i

This invention relates rto ditching machines, and especiallyto machines of that general type employed for digging shallow Y trenchesfor the reception of drain tiles and the like.y

yThe principal object ofthe invention is to provide a machine of simple construction whichmay be operated by horse power or a traction engine, and inwhich the earth may be gradually sliced away and deposited at a point to one side of the trench.

A" further object of the invention is to provide a machine of this type in which the parts may be readily adjusted. for the purposeof makingy a cut'atany desired depth, and in which the cutting blade or knife may be angularly adjusted in accordance with the depth of cut.

- A still further object of the invention is to simplify and improve the actuating and conn trolling `mechanism so as to place the same Within reach of the driver or other operator.

` With these and other`objects in view, as.

will more fully ,hereinafter appear, the invention consists incertain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully. described, yillustrated in the accompanying drawings7 and particularly pointed out inthe appended claims, it beingy understood that various changes in the form, proportions, size and minor details of f n g f the structure may beinade without depara ing from the spirit ory sacrificing any of the advantages of the` invention.

` In the accompanying drawingsr-Figure 1 -is a side elevation ofaditchmg machine con structed in accordance with the invention. f Fig. k2 is a similar view looking from the op- Fig. 3 is a plan posite side ofthe machine. view of the inach1ne.- Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view of themacliine on an enlarged scale, the view being taken on the plane indicated bythe line f-f of Figl. Fig. 5 is a detail transverse section on the line 5 5 in kFig.1;`L Figg'is a detail longitudinal section on the line-f ofFig. 5. Fig. 7 is a side elevation illustrating on an enlarged scalel oneof the hangers for the support of the uppermost conveyer shaft. Fig. 8 is a n Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 13, 1908. Serial No. 448,294.

Patented .Tune 1, 1909.

detail sectional view of the same on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

The principal portion of the machine is supported on a shaft or axle 10 at the opposite ends of which are mounted loose wheels 11, the wheels being connected to the shaft by a pawl and ratchet mechanism 12, so arranged that the shaft 10 will be rotated when the machine is traveling in a forward direction, but will be idle if the machine is backed.

Mounted loosely on the shaft are collars and 16 from which extend a plurality of struts or braces 17 that serve as supports for a long trough 18 that is formed of sheet metal or other material. This trough is arranged for the reception of the upper run of a conveyer belt 2() by which the dirt is carethe trough, and is discharged through a aterally directed chute 22, the excavated material falling to the ground at one side of the ditch in convenient position for refilling.

The cutting blade 21 is provided at each side with a vertically extended web 24 and near the forward ends of the web are openings for the passage of pivot bolts 25 that extend through openings formed in the sidewalls of the trough. Near the rear end of each of the webs is an arcuate series of openings 26 for the passage of bolts 27, the construction being such as to permit proper adj ustment of the angle of the cutting blade in` accordance with the depth of the excavation.

Immediately to the rear of the cutting blade are two vertically disposed plates 29 secured to the outer sides of the trough and provided with vertical slots 30 as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 6. These slots are arranged for the passage of the end portions of a shaft 31 which carries a grooved roller 32, theY grooves of the roller serving to receive the link belts 33 of the conveyer, and the sheet metal or other iiights 34 of the conveyer are riveted or otherwise secured to said belt. The opposite ends of the shaft 31 are mounted in bearings formed in vertically slidable blocks 87 at the upper portions of which are laterally projecting ears in'which are swiveled the lower ends of screws 88. These screws pass through threaded openings formed in brackets 39 that are secured to the side walls of the trough, so that the roller 32 may be vertically adjusted in accordance with the position of the cutting blade, it being desirable to keep the flights of the conveyer close to the rear edge of the blade, so as to carry ofl` all of the excavated material.

Mounted on the side walls of the upper or discharge end of the trough are channeled lates or blocks 40, each provided with a ongitudinal slot 41 for the passage of headed bolts 42 by which the plate is held from outward movement, while the upper and lower flanges of the plate bind against the upper and lower edges of the side wall of the trough, and thus prevent angular displacement. The plate is provided with an outwardly proj ecting flange 43 to which is swiveled the inner end of a screw 44, that extends through a threaded opening formed in a bracket 45, and by turning the screw, the plate may be adjusted in the direction of the length of the trough. Depending from each plate is a hanger 47, and the two hangers are provided with bearings for the reception of a transversely disposed shaft 48 that carries two sprocket wheels 49 over which the link belts of the conveyer pass. One end orn the shaft extends some distance beyond the side of the trough, and carries a sprocket wheel 50, and this wheel is connected by a belt 51 to a sprocket wheel 52 on a transversely disposed shaft 53 extending under the trough. The shaft 53 carries a pinion 54 which intermeshes with a gear 55 on the main shaft or axle 10.

The hub of the gear 55 is provided with a clutch pinion that is arranged to be engaged by a clutch collar 58 that is feathered on the shaft 10. The collar has an annular groove that receives the forked end of an operating arm 60 that is pivotally connected. to a lever 6l that is arranged within convenient reach of the drivers seat 62. Pivoted to the lever 61 is a locking lever 63 that is provided at its lower end with an outwardly extending arm 64 having a pair of notches 65, either of which may be engaged with a pin 66 carried by a loose collar 67 on the axle, so that the clutching mechanism may be locked in operative or inoperative position.

The conveyer may be adjusted in order to maintain it as taut as desired, and the lower run of the conveyer is supported. at intervals by idler rollers 68 that are carried by hangers depending from the side of the trough. The forward portion of the lower run of the conveyer is protected by guard plates 70 from contact with the side walls of the ditch being excavated. Secured to the forward portion of the sidewalls of the trough are outwardly and forwardly curved arms 7 2 which are reinforced by braces 7 3. These arms are connected to the rear end of a tongue 7 4 Yby means of a pivot bolt 75, and any suitable 4,traction means may be connected to the tongue, the device being operable by horse power, a traction engine or other draft device.

Pivotally mounted on the bolt is a bell crank lever 81, and the forward arm of this lever carries an axle 79 on which is mounted a wheel 8O that runs on the surface of the ground in advance of the blade. The rear arm of the bell crank lever is connected by a link 82 to the forward end of a lever 78 that is mounted on a pin or stud 83 carried by a bracket 84. The link 82 and the lever 78 are both provided with a plurality of openings for the passage ofthe pivot bolts which serve as connections between the link, the bell crank lever and the lever 82, so that these connections may be adjusted. in accordance with circumstances. The lever 78 extends rearwardly, preferably to a point within reach of the drivers seat, and may be moved up or down for the purpose of adjusting the position of the wheel 8O and thus increasing or decreasing the depth of cut. The lever may then be locked in position by a suitable locking device 86 of any desired construction. As a further means of adjustment, the rear end of the tongue 74 .is provided with an approximately U-shaped arm 87, that is connected to the forward end of a chain 88. This chain extends over a guiding sheave 89 which is mounted on the stud 83, and. the rear end of the chain is secured to a winding drum 90 that is mounted in bearings in small brackets 91 at the sides of the trough, and the winding drum having a suitable operating crank which may be turned for the pur pose of winding up the chain and thus adj usting the forward end of the machine.

Y1Vith a machine of this type, trenches of considerable depth and width may be rapidly excavated and the excavated. material deposited at one side of the ditch in convenient position for refilling.

ldlhat is claimed is l. In an excavating machine, a pair of supporting wheels, an axle connecting the same, an angularly adjustable trough mounted on said axle, an endless conveyer extend.- ing through the trough, a driving connection between the axle and the conveyer, an angularly adjustable cutting blade at the lower end of the trough, and means for locking the cutting blade in adjusted position.

2. ln a ditching machine, a pair of supporting wheels, an axle connecting the saine, an inclined trough, collars mounted loosely on the axle, a plurality of braces and struts connecting the collars to the trough, an endless conveyer, the upper run of which extends through the trough, a driving connection between the conveyer and axle, means for vertically adjusting the forward end of the-conveyer, and. a cutting blade at the lower end of the trough.

3. In a ditching machine, a pair of su e porting wheels, an axle connecting t e same,yan inclinedtrough, collars mounted on they axle, a pluralityof braces and struts extendingffrom they collars to the trough, means for adjusting the angle of the trough, to the yliney ofy cut, ka conveyer extending through they trough,` means for vertically adjusting" they forward end of the conveyer, and a cutting blade at the lower end of the trough.'k

4. Inka Lditching machine, a pair of supy porting wheels, an axleoonnecting the same,

axle, an endless` conveyer arranged to run in the trough, a cutting bladeat the lower end ofthe trough, a carrying wheel'for supi' porting the forward end of the machine, and means'for adjusting said carrying wheel to raise or lower the forward end of the trough.

k6. In a ditching machine, a pair of supporting wheels, an axle connecting the same,

y a trough .pivoted on the axle, an endless conveyerk arranged to run in the trough, a cutting blade at the lower end of the trough, a frame extended forward from the trough,

a draft tongue pivoted to said frame, a bell crank lever pivoted at the juncture of the frame and tongue, a supporting Wheel carried by one arm of the lever, and an adjusting means connected to the opposite arm of said lever.

7. In a ditching machine, a pair of supporting wheels, an axle connecting the same, a trough pivotally mounted on the axle, an endless conveyer in the trough, a cutting blade at the lower end of the trough, a frame extended forward of the trough, an adjustable supporting wheel pivoted to the frame, a draft tongue connected to said frame and provided with a rearward extending arm, a

winding drum mounted on the trough, a

chain extending from the winding trough to the arm, and means for guiding said chain.

8. In a machine of the class described, a trough having side webs, a cutting blade also provided with side webs, pivot bolts extending through the forward ortions of the webs, and on which the bla e is angularly adjustable, an arcuate series of Openings extending through each of the webs of the blade, and securing bolts arranged to extend through said openings and lock the blade in adjusted position.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, l have hereto affixed my signature in the presence 0f two witnesses.

FREDERICK CLAYMAN.

Witnesses:

DAVID MARTIN, HARRY W. LoNGFELLow. 

